Navy to help out on captured trawler

A team of navy security specialists is flying to South Africa to help escort back to Australia a Uruguayan trawler accused of poaching Patagonian toothfish. Defence Minister Robert Hill said 27 navy crew would board the fishing boat Viarsa, which was apprehended on Thursday almost 2000 nautical miles (3700 kilometres) south-west of Cape Town.

The navy contingent would relieve Australian customs and fisheries officers on board the trawler. The customs officers pursued the Viarsa across the Southern Ocean for 21 days before catching it, the longest chase in Australian maritime history.

Senator Hill said in a news release the navy party would fly to South Africa, then rendezvous at sea with the Viarsa. The trip to Fremantle was expected to take several weeks. The ship is suspected of illegal fishing in Australian waters, and believed to carry 85 tonnes of Patagonian toothfish.